My Third Cycle

12. Brainstorming

“Hello, Bayo. This is Abdul Saad. Before you rush into anything, you should know I have your fiancée and if you contact the police or tell them of this call, you risk her safety.”

“What do you want?”

“All I want is you and she is free to go. I swear. Come home now, alone. I don't have all day.”

****

Bayo

Bayo dropped the cellular phone into his pocket, trying to look unphazed for the sake of his audience of one. Lola doesn't need to get involved. But she saw through him.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Since when do you care about my well-being” He snapped at her. “You know what? Head down to the office without me, I just remembered I have things to do.”

Lola scowled at him as he turned to the road and signaled a taxi, got into it and left. She stopped a cab of her own.

"Follow that cab" she said to the driver.

Bayo got home, opened the door with his key and rushed into his living room only to find a revolver pointed at him. My God! He thought as he gawked at the man weilding the weapon, he looks just like me.

He turned looking for Lisa, “Where is she?" he almost yelled.

“Toilet. Now sit.” Saad coolly responded.

He sat, of course he did, the gun was still on him. Lisa came into the room looking a little Ashen. She cried out as soon as she saw him and ran into his arms crying.

“Are you hurt?” Bayo asked her as he held her, searching her body for any visible injury.

“No,” she sniffled, “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

Bayo turned to Abdul Saad, his face filled with rage. “You have me now. So, what?”

***

Finally coming face to face with Bayo was a bitter sweet moment. I'd thought up every possible scenario I could about how our first encounter would go, Or so I thought, because this came nowhere close to anything I had envisioned. My gun pointed at him as he stared up at me with anger and possible hatred, holding unto his whimpering girlfriend.

My boy! I thought, Why did it have to be so? My eyes were glassy with tears and I fought the urge to weep at finally being face to face with my boy. But I failed, as tears trailed down my cheeks. Bayo appeared puzzled as he tried to read the emotions playing across my face.

“I did not want us to meet like this,” I said, lowering my gun. “I wanted it to be special. In a different world and time, you would have been excited to see me.”

“What are you talking about?” He asked, totally perplexed. “Please be sane.”

I got hold of myself realizing how stupid I must look crying.

“Bayo” I said, trying to find a way to make things sound as sensible as possible, “I'm your father.”

"Wh--"

"I'm George cadmus. I'm Saad now, but I was George Cadmus, your father".

"I'm pretty certain I was born before you, so..." He stated blankly, but I could feel his uncertainty.

"In my past life, bayo. I was George Cadmus, your mom was Uche, we left you to grow up with my mother, your grandmother.

“This is insane. You’re insane.” Bayo said tossing an accusatory finger in my way. "That's basic stuff, you could've gotten that anywhere."